cabinet

cabinet n Also abbr cab [This first appears in the comb royal cabinet, originally an attributive phr that appeared at the time in the brand names of various products, esp drinks, presumably meant to suggest that they were suitable for a monarch’s private chambers or cupboard; “Royal Cabinet Champagne,” for instance, was widely advertised in the second half of the 19th century. In reference to the fountain drink it was freq used absolutely, which led to the reinterpretation of cabinet as the name of the type of drink.] Cf coffee milknb,frappen,velvet n1

A fountain drink, originally one made with cream, ice, egg, soda water, and var flavorings, later one made with milk, ice cream, and flavoring; a milkshake:

1952Newport Daily News (RI) 16 June 3/1, [Advt:] Top Quality Ice Cream Sodas Cabinets Milk Shakes Candies Sandwiches. 1957 RoseBlock Is. 176 sRI, Only ten cents for an ice cream soda, fifteen for a college ice, a cabinet or a banana split. 1968DARE FileseMA,Cabinet is said by Dorothy Cahill of Fall River to have originated in a drugstore there, named by the pharmacist who concocted it. The ice cream was kept in those days in a cabinet that was part of the soda-fountain set-up. 1971Today Show LettersRI, What they call a milk shake in New York and Connecticut and a frappe in Massachusetts, they call a cabinet in Rhode Island. A milk shake in Rhode Island is without ice cream, while a cabinet has ice cream. 1982Smithsonian Letters RI, Cabinet—In Rhode Island this term more likely refers to a milkshake (using milk, syrup and ice cream) than a piece of furniture. I grew up five miles from the Massachusetts border. As a child I could order a cabinet in R.I., but had to remember to order a frappe just five minutes to the west [sic]. 1995DARE FileRI, Milk, ice cream, and flavoring, blended together and sold as frappes in nearby Massachusetts, are known as cabinets throughout Little Rhody. Coffee milk (sweetened coffee-flavored milk) is popular, too. . . Coffee milk blended with ice cream is a “coffee cab.” 2001IbidRI, I . . spent 2 years (1984-86) at Brown Univ. in Providence RI, where I had it carefully explained to me that I should say “cabinet” instead of “milkshake.” . . Nobody ever said anything about coffee cabinets in particular, but maybe the whole cabinet concept was simplified or dumbed down for us temporary RI residents. On campus I had no trouble ordering chocolate cabinets or strawberry cabinets. 2006DARE File—InternetRI,Cabinet—A drink made from milk, flavored syrup, and ice cream. In other parts of the country it’s called a milk shake or a frappe.